Docs hate paperwork as much as you do.

In a survey released by The Physicians’ Foundation, doctors not only think there is a shortage of themselves in primary care positions, but they predict it will get worse, even as the needs get greater.

Because they’re bailing.

The survey results are based on the responses of about 12,000 physicians, and the results can be viewed here.

Almost half said they plan to reduce the number of patients they see over the next three years, and 60 percent said they would not recommend medicine as a profession to young people.

Patient relationships ranked highest on the list of things docs find satisfying about their jobs.

The biggest gripes: not enough time with patients and too much paperwork. Lousy Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement ranked highest on their list of “impediments to the delivery of patient care”  as in: they don’t feel they can afford continue to provide care to Medicare and Medicaid patients.

The survey also says that 45 percent of doctors would retire today if they could. But that would be an interesting question to apply to any profession.